AT&T gifts iPhone, Apple contemplates 3rd party software access

By Conrad Quilty-Harper | May 13, 2007

Your latest “anything iPhone related happens” post is here, this time with the news that AT&T has given away an iPhone to a member of the public, coupled with a recent statement that Apple is wrestling with the decision of whether to allow 3rd parties to develop iPhone apps. It’s rather odd that the first iPhone to make it into the hands of a mere mortal didn’t cost its new owner a single cent, but in a video taken at the commencement ceremony at West Texas A&M University, the CEO of AT&T Stan Sigman gave away an iPhone to one Dr. O’Brien. (At least, that’s what the very crackly movie of the speech shot on a Treo appears to indicate.) The statement about the 3rd party iPhone software comes from a similarly authoritative voice — Steve Jobs — and through a clearer medium — a phone-in of a recent Apple shareholders meeting. Jobs said that the company “is wrestling with” the decision to allow external developers to create their own software for the iPhone. Our wish is for Apple to open up the iPhone, or at least compromise and allow developers to create their own widgets. In the phone industry, standing still (which is effectively what Apple would be doing with a closed iPhone) is not an option: or, maybe it is. Hmm, we seem to have missed the smackdown.